NetBeans is one of the most popular integrated development environment (IDE) there is. Although this framework was initially designed for Java-based development, its editor supports many other languages like C, Cpp, HTML, XML, JSP, PHP and much more.
This open-source software is famous for its high-level of compatibility and customizability that make it an indispensable tool to increase the productivity of your work. Besides, it has inbuilt visual tools too, that minimize the amount of code you need to actually type to make a basic application.
Besides enterprise developers and corporate organizations, many schools and universities deploy Netbeans IDE for teaching and learning development processes.
Let’s have a look at some of the top-most features that make NetBeans one of the most versatile and easy-to-use IDEs to work with.
1. Extensive integration
NetBeans IDE is a versatile platform that connects seamlessly with many other environments like Maven and Ant to provide you with the ultimate flexibility and powerful build support. This top-level compatibility makes it a standard choice for many developers for their full-stacked development process.
Simply start building in this IDE and customize several modules as per your requirements.
2. Out of the Box functionality
Even the beginners will feel super-comfortable with the ease of operation of NetBeans IDE. You just have to download a small file for installation and all the builder tools, as well as functionalities, come built-in with it. Simply eliminate the need to search and install different plug-ins to unleash the full potential of this tool.
If you want more functionality, there is a healthy and vibrant eco-system offering a plethora of meaningful plug-ins.
3. Community Support
Experience the power of a superb open-source community made up of several thousand active users that are there to help you wherever you get stuck and need guidance. Most of the times, just the FAQs, mailing lists, and blogs are enough to solve the standard problems that one might face while using it.
Moreover, if you can’t get a satisfactory support from the community, you can get coding advice, extensive software support and more through Developer Support Packages too.
4. Unmatched Collaboration
Every developer knows that projects require teamwork and contribution from several members in a collaborative environment. NetBeans IDE understands this brilliantly and lets you create hosted projects in java.net. Deploy Jira and Bugzilla to track reports regarding issues in files and discuss with other developers and team members.
5. Robust GUI development
Earlier known as Project Matisse, the inbuilt GUI builder lets you create amazing GUI intuitively. It supports Beans Binding as well as Swing Application framework that even the novice developers can utilize for their GUI needs. Thanks to their simplicity and ease of use.
6. Analytical Insights
Another strong integration is the IDE Profiler that makes using NetBeans IDE really worth. You can use it to optimize the performance of our code by identifying the bottlenecks that might arise. Acquire real-time deep insights and monitor particular parts of our code to analyze it. Besides, with HeapWalker, you can assess the Java heap elements and locate precise memory leaks.
7. Multi-language support
NetBeans IDE was conceived for Java primarily, but it is compatible with several other languages through robust integrations that make enhance its versatility for development. The list of supported languages consists of PHP, C, Cpp, HTML, Groovy, JavaScript etc. You can even define your own language to incorporate into your projects.
Conclusion
So if you are looking for a fully-functional developing environment that is well-integrated, highly compatible and extensively integrated with many other environments, besides being easy to use, then NetBeans IDE is the obvious choice. Most would say that Eclipse IDE is better, well it is, but we think NetBeans is a very strong competitor and best suited for beginners.